KBIA Local
(2008-12-17)
COLUMBIA, MO
(KBIA) -
University of Missouri faculty met today to discuss the potential budget cuts to the UM system. MU's Faculty Council invited Chancellor Brady Deaton to provide his perspective on what the cuts could mean for the university. Deaton addressed the packed room to get the budget dialogue rolling and to ease worried staff. He told the crowd he didn't anticipate salary reductions or layoffs, but he couldn't make promises for the future. Deaton read faculty responses on how the university could save money suggestions such as saving energy and early retirement. Biology Professor Tom Phillips is the Faculty Council Chair. He says the university system is already operating at an efficient rate, and can't afford to take any cuts from legislation.
"The amount of money we get from the state is less than in 2001. Since that time, the U-M system has added 8,000 students, most of that has come to MU. That's more than the entire population of the Rolla campus. So we've added more students, we've essentially added a new campus at less money than we had in 2001, and that's not even accounting inflation."
More students results in a need for more faculty or larger class sizes. Phillips says, most importantly, the university can't lose its academic quality and each academic program offered is important. UM President Gary Forsee is expected to publicly address the budget cuts sometime tomorrow.
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